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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

What family sized tent can you WITH CERTAINTY say can be put up easily by one person alone?

28 replies

EffieB · 03/04/2010 21:44

Around £150- £200 ideally max, but if the easiest to put up tents cost more then tell me, as I will generally be doing it myself!

Thought I had picked my perfect new tent, but now realising this is one of the biggest factors.

OP posts:
Uriel · 03/04/2010 21:45

How about a pop-up tent?

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 03/04/2010 21:51

How many people to sleep?

I can put up a big Outwell tunnel tent that sleeps 5 on my own and I'm a shortarse. Tunnel tents are the easiest to put up.

Goingspare · 03/04/2010 21:52

We have one similar to this (I don't think they make the exact one any more) and my husband can put that up easily on his own.

I'm sure I could now I've grappled with our bigger one a few times (suddenly the old one looks very simple), but used to pretend to be busy with childcare when we used the smaller one.

Original poster
EffieB · 03/04/2010 22:10

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-gobi-4-family-tent-p143501

this is the one I wanted. Full height, decent porch, but not too many bits to grapple with????

OP posts:
Original poster
EffieB · 03/04/2010 22:12

sorry stripey knickers to sleep up to 4- me, OH (or very helpful kind friend), toddler and from next year a baby. For this year just a bump!

OP posts:
ilove · 03/04/2010 22:17

Always go for a tent that sleeps more than you are iyswim...you need space for "stuff!"

eg we are a family of 6 and have an 8-12 berth and porch and need a utility tent as well. Never get one that = bodies!

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 03/04/2010 22:18

You'd easily be able to put that up. Its the Outwell Colarado I have and your one in the link looks half the size of my tent. Mine is too big and a bit tricky but I can still do it in 20 mins. Have a practice in the garden before you go and get the technique right.

Most tunnel type tents you put the poles in and lie it all down flat so all the poles "hoops" are on top of each other. Then pick the main guy ropes for one end and pull tight so the first pole hoop stands up. Quickly peg in one guy then the second. You can then let go and then go and stand the other pole hoops up and walk them out to the correct distance and peg other guys in. Does that make sense?

LadyBiscuit · 03/04/2010 22:19

I can put up my brand new Quechua 4.2 all on my own. AND more importantly, get it down again too (sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms although you could squeeze a few more in I reckon)

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 03/04/2010 22:20

You need a bigger tent then. Your one I would say would only just me big enough for me, DH and DD. If it were for 4 people I'd want at least a 5 berth if not a 6.

How about this?

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/oakland-xl-p149886

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 03/04/2010 22:22

Or this is cheaper and a 5 berth. Can you tell I love Outwell tents?

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/outwell-nevada-m-5-berth-tent-p139897

Original poster
EffieB · 03/04/2010 22:24

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-mojave-5-5-berth-tent-p143507

thankyou for ideas folks. 'specially about getting tent for more people than we are ilove, my old one was allegedly a 3 person but with 3 people in it we'd have been sleeping on or under all our stuff.

stripey this is the one up (above) from the one I suggested?

OP posts:
Original poster
EffieB · 03/04/2010 22:26

stripey all of these you've mentioned you think I could definately without fail put up myself? I'm a bit of a shorty and this summer will also be pregnant, athletic feats will be beyond me!

OP posts:
ToccataAndFudge · 03/04/2010 22:33

sorry - hijacking your thread

but as there's a tent lover on board.......

I'm not looking to buy now (asI don't have the money) but I will at some point in the future (once I've raised sufficient funds - and I have been led to believe it could be quite a lot )) I want to buy a tent for me and the DS's to go camping with (so 3 children and 1 adult).

Shouldn't matter too much about being able to do it on my own - as DS1 is now at "useful" age......but I WILL need as light as possible (this I'm told is where the cost will come into it,........) as I don't drive so we'll be doing it proper style !

LadyBiscuit · 03/04/2010 22:38

I know I'm eulogising but honestly, the quechua is blooming brilliant. It packs flat into a circular bag which comes with backpack straps. You wouldn't want to carry it five miles (it weighs about 14kg) but I carried it about a mile really easily. And it is soooo easy to put up and take down and doesn't have any bits to lose. I am in tent-love. Can you tell?

Original poster
EffieB · 03/04/2010 22:45

Lady Biscuit it does look lovely but as will have toddler and baby for next few years feel better (and lazier) with them nearer me. For bigger ones though this looks great!

OP posts:
3rdnparty · 04/04/2010 12:01

Effie,
I can put up the Outwell Nevada on my own (v unfit 5'5) with small child strapped in car/making friends with other campers.... its a great size for 4 as bed pods big enough for stuff and the door arrangement eg having side door with rain cover and a fully zipped in front door so no draughts unlike some other tunnels this style (have been doing a lot of looking) .......sad camping/tent fusspot

the other one I am considering is

www.camperlands.co.uk/store/kampa-frinton-4-2010-tent-72360-0.html

think porch is better but not been able to see it on the flesh yet.....

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 04/04/2010 17:22

You'd definetly eb able to put both thouse Outwell tents up by yourself. My Outwell one is bigger than those and I'm 5ft2" and can put mine up on my own in 20mins.

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 04/04/2010 17:28

I've never seen one of the Quercha ones in the flesh and I may be wrong but from the website they don't seem to have as much living space as tunnel tents.

With a larger tent if you have a rainy day then I like a tent big enough to sit around and play cards in, etc. Not sure if the Qerecha might be a bit cramped with 2 kids.

If there is anywhere near you that has a tent display its definetly worth seeing them. Blacks/Millets often do "tent tours" at about this time of year where they do big displays in a garden centre type place, may be worth looking at their website.

DottyDot · 04/04/2010 17:29

I've got a Khyam and love it - I've taken ds's camping on my own before and can vouch that I can put it up in around 30 mins on my own. It's big - 4 berth - and I love it!

LadyBiscuit · 04/04/2010 20:49

stripeyknickers - it probably is a bit cramped with two kids - here's a pic of it up. But I am very pleased because I managed to get it up and down again in the living room today which means I have every chance of being able to do it when we go camping in a few weeks' time! I'm so scared of the DC running off while I put up the tent that I need it to take as short a time as humanly possible

LadyBiscuit · 04/04/2010 20:50

Cramped with bigger kids and another adult I mean - my DC are still small

Original poster
EffieB · 04/04/2010 21:09

www.quechua.com/EN/t6-2-xl-air-33684707/

Lady Biscuit do they all go up easily? I've found a bigger one on their site (above) worryingly with no price that I can see but it looks laarvely

OP posts:
LadyBiscuit · 04/04/2010 21:15

I don't think they're all pop ups Effie but if you scroll down the page there is a video showing you how to put it up and I guess you could work out if it would be feasible to do on your own. They do show two people putting up mine but only one taking it down which is what made me think I could probably cope (as that's usually the worst bit)

LadyBiscuit · 04/04/2010 21:17

Prices should be on Decathlon's website if they're not on the Quechua one

roundthebend4 · 07/05/2010 21:04

Ladybiscuit have you used yours yet intrested as just brought one after Reading reviews